May 2015 - Issue # 16
Welcome Note (By Farouk Merhebi – EHSRM Director)
Dear Readers,
Given the absence of a national solution for the disposal of batteries in Lebanon, and in order to reduce the environmental damage from
disposing of them in nature, EHSRM started collecting used Alkaline and Lithium ion batteries generated at AUB (which contain small amounts
of heavy metals) for their encapsulation in a concrete block as a safe disposal practice along with asbestos waste. New collection points for
batteries will soon be placed on campus to make this initiative sustainable.
Since February 2015, EHSRM started a new round of fire and evacuation drills in Campus buildings to train staff and students about how
to respond to emergencies. All Campus buildings should undergo at least one drill per year. A drill is considered successful when occupants
evacuate and assemble in the pre-designated assembly area within less than 5 minutes. A new signage system will soon be installed
on Campus to identify the assembly area for each building and facilitate the evacuation process.
By mid April 2015, and after 10 years of service, EHSRM lost the efforts of Mr. Mohamad Tamim, the University Radiation Safety Officer
and one of the main pillars who established the radiation safety program at AUB. Mr. Tamim will be heading to Spain to join his close family
and continue his career. Dr. Lamiss Zaidouny, holder of a PhD in Physics was appointed as his replacement. EHSRM team wishes Mohamad
good luck in his new endeavor and welcomes Lamiss to her new family.
Article of the Month
Think Safe
Red & blue recycling program
The agreement between AUB and SUKLEEN to launch the Red
and Blue recycling program on Campus was signed by the end
of February 2015. Red and Blue cardboard and plastic collection
bins are now available across 14 buildings on Campus as part
of phase 1 of this agreement.
The buildings covered by this initiative are mainly in the upper
campus (Bliss, Fisk, Jesup, IFI, Lee Observatory, West Hall,
College Hall, Post Hall, Old Pharmacy, REP, and Van Dyck) and
the engineering complex (Bechtel, Raymond Ghosn and IOEC).
The principle for color coding is very simple: blue stands for paper and cardboard while red stands
for plastic, metal and glass. Students and staff are required to sort waste according to these colors
and place them in the separate bins. Janitors collect the recyclables placed in the cardboard boxes
and place them in the plastic bins outside the building by following the same color coding. Transportation
of the collected recyclables is done by the AUB Grounds and Transportation Services to Bliss parking where
4 red and blue cages are placed to store the recyclables pending
their collection by Sukleen every Monday evening.
The AUB Environmental Club is leading the awareness raising
activities in the selected buildings. Prior to the distribution
of the bins, a teaser campaign was started. Messages
such as “Separation isn’t always a bad thing” and “What is the
difference?” accompanied by two different size red and blue
dots were posted in the buildings. One week after the
distribution of bins, students from the Club conducted a one on
one visit to offices to explain the basic principles of the program
and ask occupants about their opinion (results of the survey on page 2). Another activity to promote
the program was conducted on 23 March 2015. Two “Red and Blue” stands were erected in front of West
Hall and Bechtel Building where Club members explained to passers-by about the program and about
recycling at AUB and invited them to test their knowledge in relation to recycling. Giveaways such as red
and blue car waste bags , supermarket jute bags and pen holders were given to persons who answered
correctly one, two or three questions, respectively. The same awareness raising stand was repeated
during the Wellness Fair that took place on 14 April 2015 in front of West Hall.
The outcome of the Red and Blue program looks promising so far. Students and staff are coping
very well with the program as this is evident in the overflowing red and blue bins that can be seen from
time to time across Campus. Our aim is to spread the culture of recycling throughout all Campus buildings
and we hope to get there soon!!
We count on everyone’s cooperation to change the image of the Campus to the one we all aspire for.
1. Plastic materials can be recycled
into clothes:
a)
True
b) False
2. Plastic is considered amongst the
most biodegradable materials
as it decomposes easily in nature:
a)
True
b) False
3. The "3Rs" of waste management
stand for "Recapture, Refill and
Recycle"
a)
True
b) False
Answers are on page 2
Recycling Facts
 Newspapers, cardboard boxes,
colored file folders, paper bags
and egg cartons can all be placed
in the Blue bins and containers.
 Bottles and jars made from glass
are 100% recyclable and can
be recycled endlessly.
 Recycled metal cans could come
back as part of a car, a plane
or even another can.
 It is better to squash plastic
bottles before putting them
inside the recycling bins to
reduce their volume and spare
space.
 One recycled plastic bottle would
save enough energy to power
a 60-watt light bulb for 6 hours.
AUB Campus ● Corporation Yard ● Phone: 961-1-374374 - Ext. 2360, Direct Line: 961-1-749199 ● Fax: 961-1-749198 ● http://www.aub.edu.lb/facilities/ehsrm/Pages/index.aspx 1/2
May 2015 - Issue # 16
A survey was conducted to test the awareness of building occupants
on the Red and Blue recycling program. A questionnaire of 5 simple
questions was filled during the tour conducted by the Environmental Club
students and volunteers in the 14 buildings after one to two weeks from
the placement of the bins in the buildings.
Municipal Solid Waste Final Destination
A total of 166 questionnaires were filled and analyzed. Results showed
that 54% of the respondents are aware of the program and 69% know
the location of the bins. In buildings where the number of bins
is insufficient, EHSRM added new ones. Most of the respondents
are optimistic about the program and are willing to make it succeed.
Answers to “Think Safe”
1. True. Shredded plastic can transformed into polyester threads
that may be used in clothing and
many other purposes.
2. False. Bacteria do not recognize
the chemical structure of plastic
so it can not break the links
between its atoms. The decomposition of plastic in nature
is done by photodegradation,
a process that takes decades to
be completed.
3. False. The "3Rs" of waste
management are: "Reduce, Reuse
& Recycle". The best way to help
the environment is to reduce the
amount of produced waste.
Unwanted items can be reused
for other than their initial
intended purposes. Materials
of old products can be recycled
to create new ones.
EHSRM in Action
Latest Activities
The Environmental and Chemical Safety Unit conducted laboratory inspections in Agriculture & CSRL;
offered chemical handling training for PLM staff; completed the baseline assessment on healthcare
waste management at AUBMC; developed a comparative study of different options for formalin
neutralization, reuse and disposal; prepared the Initial Environmental Examination report for PLM core
lab renovation submitted to ASHA; monitored the removal of asbestos containing vinyl tiles in Van Dyck
building; removed chemical waste from Engineering; conducted construction site safety inspections in
DTS & Van Dyck; and contributed to the CEC training course on health and safety in healthcare centers.
The Health Physics Services Unit assisted LAEC in an inspection visit to the Radiation Oncology
department; assessed the safety conditions of UVC disinfection machine in the CEE department;
reviewed the purchase offers for a new liquid scintillation counter; reviewed the safety requirements
for the purchase of laser goggles; followed up on licensing of radioactive material usage at AUB;
and received and monitored the operation of a new Tc-99m generator in the Nuclear Medicine.
The Life and Fire Safety Unit resumed the testing and commissioning process of all safety
related items and systems in the AUBMC Lobbies and MAB Project; reviewed materials submittals
and conducted site inspections and coordination meetings in DTS renovation project; reviewed
in-house renovation projects at AUB and AUBMC; reviewed material submittals and shop drawings
of fire fighting system and fire stop of the Academic and Clinical Center (ACC) project; offered the Life
and fire Safety training sessions as part of the CEC course health and safety in healthcare centers;
offered 2 Fire Safety training sessions for outdoors safety wardens; and conveyed the room numbering
of the Kesserwan Medical Center (KMC) clinics.
The Occupational Safety Unit conducted laboratory safety inspections in the PLM department;
developed actions plans for different departments as corrective actions for observations made during
the Annual Life and Fire Safety Inspection Round; reviewed the Emergency Preparedness Plan;
and conducted a number of fire drills that included evacuation procedures.
The Risk Management Unit followed up on many inquires related to injuries and incidents;
and offered training on incident reporting and sharps safety for CEC course participants, during
the AUBMC HR orientation and during the nursing orientation.
The Sanitation and Biosafety Unit commissioned & recertified BSCs at AUBMC; arranged for the
collection and testing of water samples from AUBMC; conducted biosafety inspection at PLM; conducted
N95 fit testing for AUBMC staff; commented on food sale events; coordinated with the Outdoors
Committee regarding food safety requirements; participated in activities related to Red & Blue
awareness program including the Wellness Fair; conducted a Biosafety training session for CEC
participants and a HAZMAT training session for AUBMC employees; and evaluated and commented on
the Animal Research BSC re-bid and the proposed Cell Culture design at Biology Department.
In the spotlight
EHSRM’s Radiation and Laser Safety Officer
Lamiss Zaidouny
B.Sc. in Physics (2006)- Lebanese University
M.Sc. in Experimental Physics (2010)- AUB
Ph.D. in Soft Matter Physics (2015)- Stuttgart University, Germany
Dr. Zaidouny is the newest member of the EHSRM team. She joined AUB in April 2015 as the Radiation and Laser
Safety Officer in the Health Physics unit. She aims at maintaining a reliable radiation safety program at AUB by
providing a safe environment for employees, students, patients and visitors.
During her Masters at AUB, Lamiss worked as a laboratory instructor and research assistant at the physics department. In her M.Sc. thesis
she got involved in imaging procedures using x-rays and ultrasonic waves. She started her PhD research work in soft matter physics in Germany
where she supervised several projects. Her research work has been published in peer reviewed journals.
AUB Campus ● Corporation Yard ● Phone: 961-1-374374 - Ext. 2360, Direct Line: 961-1-749199 ● Fax: 961-1-749198 ● http://www.aub.edu.lb/facilities/ehsrm/Pages/index.aspx 2/2